West Sand Lake man sentenced for patronizing for prostitution

ALBANY, N.Y. — Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares announced Russell Blair, 33, of West Sand Lake, was sentenced to two years in State Prison, before the Honorable Roger D. McDonough in Albany County Court after a jury previously found him guilty of arranging acts of sexual conduct with persons who he believed to be a nineteen and a fourteen year old girl.

Upon release from State Prison Blair will have to register as a sex offender.

On April 4, 2019, Blair was found guilty after a jury trial of one count of second-degree felony patronizing a person for prostitution.

After thorough deliberation and review of the evidence presented during the trial, the jury found that on Dec. 2, 2017, in the Town of Colonie, Blair responded to a Craig’s List Ad and engaged in a telephone conversation with a person he believed to be a 19-year-old girl and agreed to pay a fee of $200.00 to engage in sexual conduct with her and a 14-year-old girl.

The person on the other end of the telephone conversation was a member of law enforcement.